The Achievement Gap

Responses to School Board Questionaire - Alberto Monserrate

Candidate questionnaire

1.      The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color. 

a.      What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

b.      What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

One factor in improving learning and reducing the gap is having the right environment for students to learn. This requires zero tolerance of disruptive behavior from our students. We may need to move to uniforms in some of our schools with the biggest problems with gangs or discipline to avoid gang colors and to improve student behavior and an environment conducive to learning. 

 

We need to improve student achievement by freeing up teachers from at least of some of the mandates they often see as ineffective. We need to have new teachers and teachers that are having a hard time teaching our most challenging kids, spend more time trained directly by other teachers that have been determined by the teachers union and MPS administration to be effective, and spending less time learning theory in classrooms. We need to set up teachers evaluations that are developed in conjunction with the teachers union, so that we know how our kids and teachers are doing. We need to creatively increase learning time for kids that are behind, by creating separate teaching shifts that will provide the learning that kids need, but keep teaching a sustainable profession that allows teachers to have personal lives. We also need to encourage innovations that will make higher-order thinking skills available to all students and teach our kids critical thinking above short term learning to pass tests.

 

Having teachers that are well trained and are experienced in effectively teaching kids and that have a culture and leadership that supports them are a very significant factor in reducing the learning gap. Teachers must be allowed to have as much control as possible in the classroom, and have class sizes that are manageable. Setting high expectations for all students is also very important. We also need a more cooperative environment with other government and nonprofit agencies to help our students with many of the social problems that get on the way of effective learning. We also need to invest more in effective early childhood education.

c.       If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

I expect some measurable results within a year, but it might take at least 5 years to see dramatic results.

 

2.      Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students may lead to insufficient attention being paid to the needs of average and higher performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

      Both my children were in gifted and talented classes in elementary school and pre AP and AP classes in middle and high school. I was once a student lost in the boredom of not being challenged enough. I will fight to keep higher and average students in MPS and make sure that our policy allows them to be challenged. Increasing achievement of our most vulnerable kids doesn’t need to come at the expense of our kids that do well. We need to improve achievement of all kids, not just some.

3.      It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teachers' contract make more difficult the staffing of schools adequate to meet the needs of all students.  What is your view?

Seniority has a very important role in schools and in Universities. Both my parents were teachers and benefited from seniority and tenure. My dad and other members of my family were able to use this to protect their jobs when they were threatened for their political activities. Seniority and tenure protect our teachers from arbitrary firings from ineffective leaders. They also allows us to keep the most experienced teachers teaching our kids and protect them from management trying to replace them with cheaper labor.

 

These protections need to remain. At the same time I’m concerned that efforts in MPS to increase the ethnic diversity of teachers has been hurt by the staff reductions in the past few years related to enrollment reductions. I’m also concerned by the perception by many MPS parents that they have lost some of their favorite teachers because of layoffs and that bilingual and NLL and Spanish emersion teachers have lost their jobs and been replaced by teachers that are not bilingual.

 

Management and MPS and the MFT need to work together in their contracts for a way to retain seniority and tenure, while at the same time ensuring that teacher diversity, bilingual teachers and NLL and Spanish Emersion teachers are also protected.

 

4.      One idea to improve student outcomes is to have a longer school day or a longer school year.  Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

I believe there is strong evidence that students that are behind in learning benefit greatly by longer school days and school years. We need to creatively increase learning time for kids that are behind, by creating separate teaching shifts that will provide the learning that kids need, but keep teaching a sustainable profession that allows teachers to have personal lives. We also need to figure how to compensate extra days for teachers that agree to work longer school years. I don't believe every student needs increased learning time. Only those that are behind.

5.      Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

 a.      What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

I believe this is one of the most important things we can invest in in order to reduce the learning gap. Ideally I would see a school system in MPS that starts with full funding for 3-4 year olds before kindergarten,.

b.      How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

See a

6.      Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

a.      Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

I neither support or oppose charter schools. I support good schools and want to improve not so good schools. I believe there are a few very good charter schools that need to be fully supported and an environment that will allow more to succeed. I believe most charter schools perform as well or worse than district schools. As a group I don't feel they perform that much worse or that much better. Some district schools perform much better than charters as a group and some charters perform much better than district schools as a group. I supported recent changes in law that demand more accountability for charters from sponsors and make approval more thorough. I believe this new law will have a good impact.

 

b.      What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

I agree with the current relationship described in the MPS strategic plan. I agree with the district sponsoring a few charter schools that have a proven plan of success and that will allow for collaboration between the district and charters that are doing well. I support changes in state law that would allow charter school test scores in schools sponsored by MPS, to be counted towards district test scores.  

c.       Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools? 

I fully support teacher lead self governed schools and believe they have a track record of success in other parts of the country. I believe that teachers should be allowed to decide what schools to open as self governed schools.

 7.      A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York.

a.      How should the School Board respond?

I believe Harlem Children's Zone in New York has been a great success in improving student achievement and that NAZ efforts to replicate this success should be supported.

b.      Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

If a part of the city has special challenges and problems with achievement, safety or discipline, it should be allowed to make special investments or efforts. Student failure or dramatic drops in enrollment in parts of the city, affect everyone eventually in the entire city.

8.      With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools?   If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

I agree that increased integration is a good goal to have for the district. I would however prioritize to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods than on forced integration. I would ideally like to see students be able to go to their neighborhood school and to know that that school will be as good as any other school. As long as people are racially segregated where they live, this may lead to some segregation. I believe that if we focus on making every MPS school a great school, that integration will come naturally. Forced integration often brings resentment and racial tension. Volunteer integration brings better understanding and better relationships among people from different ethnicities and races.

9.      Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a.      What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

I don't  believe that improving achievement and bringing more stability to the district is really a governance issue. I believe student learning is improved in the class room not the board room.

b.      Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

I feel comfortable with MPS current governance and with its efforts to expand self governed schools and sponsored charters. Boards must lead, set clear goals, set budgets and policy, and leave the day to day management of the district to staff.

c.       The Governor has recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

I disagree with having school districts be managed by the cities mayors. I believe that not even St Paul and Minneapolis mayors agree with this proposal. I have no reason to believe that mayors would hire superintendents, set policy and improve student learning any better than school boards.

10.  Your role in the school board

a.      How do you define the role of a school board member?

The School Board sets policy and budgets for the Minneapolis School district. It also hires the superintendent. A School Board should set a strategic plan for the district and approve an overall budget. Once it hires a superintendent and the district leadership is in place, a board must then monitor the strategic plan implementation and make sure that budgets are being implemented as they’re supposed to. It must also set clear goals and expectations for the superintendent and evaluate the superintendents’ performance against those goals.

 

A board must set policy but not be involved on operational or implementation of the districts goals. If the superintendent is not performing or if budgets are not being followed then the board must step in.

 

Boards also must approve contracts with its employees and make sure that those contracts are enforced within the stipulated deadlines.

 

b.      How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?  

I expect to spend 20-25 hours a week on average on school board business.  

 

11.  Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

My long term vision Success in Minneapolis schools would be a system in which every kid, no matter what their families economic situation, their race or ethnicity and their families personal situations, will fulfill their full potential. A system in which every kid that wants to graduate and go to college, can do so. A system that will also support students that don't want to go to college, and prepare them for a life where they can fulfill their full potential. A system in which every student will be prepared to succeed in IB or AP programs if they choose to. A system that will teach students skills that will help them succeed in a global economy, and that will also value local community service and involvement. A system in which every student will graduate fluent in a second language, arts and music, and have been taught critical and higher order thinking and where students graduate with values that stress the public good over personal gain.

Alberto Monserrate
Candidate for Minneapolis School Board
District 5

 

Responses to School Board Questionaire - David DeGrio

Achievement Gap Committee Candidate Questionnaire

1.      The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color.

a.      What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

 

I.           Intervening in the early years to make sure a child is learning, rather than playing catch-up in Middle or High School.

II.         Focusing instruction to the specific needs of a child.

III.        Supportive family and community members who take an active role in a child’s learning.

 

 

b.      What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

 

I.           Maintain a low student to teacher ratio.

II.         Allow schools more freedom to adapt curriculum and instruction to the specific needs of their student populations.

III.        Create safe, quiet spaces for students to work/study before and after school.

 

 

c.       If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

 

Significant results could be achieved before my first term has expired (four years.)

 

2.      Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students means that insufficient attention is being paid to the needs of average and high performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

 

This is a false dichotomy.    We needn’t sacrifice academic rigor in the name of increasing student success.  As a curriculum standards developer at the Minnesota Department of Education I studied alternate, data-driven curriculum models that increase academic rigor, specifically in science and math that are shown to shrink the disparity of learning amongst all children. 

 

3.      It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teacher’s contract prevent the administration from staffing the schools adequately to meet the needs of students. Please comment on your opinion of the current teacher’s contract.

 

Poor fiscal management and budgeting at the State level is the biggest impediment to meeting the needs of students.  Right now many teachers are spending 8-10 hours a day working at the school followed by several more hours of work once they return home at night (or are at home on weekends.)  Teachers are not given enough time, during the school day, to work on collaborative professional development, development of lesson plans and developing curriculum to meet the needs of specific students needs?

4.      One idea to improve student outcomes is to spend more time on task. That might mean a longer school day or a longer school year.  Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

 

I support an elongated school day and school year.  Initially it should probably be implemented in the High Schools.  I think we should start there because High School students need to be prepared for the adult world.  In the adult world, we work year round and don’t take a three month break over the summer.  We can then look to expanding the school year in the other grades. 

 

5.      Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

a.      What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

 

I believe this is an important part of our public school system.  Right now I divide our students into two groups.  The first group consists of students in grades 7 – 12.  These students are oftentimes several years behind in comprehension and skills.  We need to focus upon helping these students get up to speed quickly. 

 

The second group consists of PK – 6^th grade.  We must focus upon early intervention.  If we make sure that students are staying on track in the early years, we will put our district in a position where students in 7 – 12 will need less resources to get caught up and the money can then be reinvested in early intervention.  We will have to go thru a transition period, that may last up to 10 years.

 

b.      How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

 

If a PK program is in place, we can look to use those PK programs as a feeder into specific elementary schools.  By doing this, we can develop curriculum that implements State Curriculum standards earlier than originally anticipated.  We can deliberately choose certain State standards to teach in the PK classes.  This will allow us, overtime, to increase the academic rigor in the schools because students will have been learning from an earlier age.  If we can show a successful model, it will only serve to improve the image of MPS and will help us attract new families or families who may have left the district.

 

6.      Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

a.      Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

 

I only support charter schools if they are high-quality schools with demonstrable improved outcomes.  Charter schools are a reality in our public education system; however, I look forward to a day where the Minneapolis Public Schools are able to eliminate the need for charter schools.

 

b.      What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

 

It should be a cooperative relationship where we can openly share best practices for district and school operations.  There are several charter schools that have shown an interest in contracting with MPS for some basic services.  I believe that we could find additional revenue streams by contracting some district services.

 

c.       Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools?

 

Favor.

 

7.      A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York. 

a.      How should the School Board respond?

 

These are the types of Community Partners we should be utilizing to tackle some of the area-specific problems in our City.

 

b.      Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

 

Yes it is appropriate to help particular portions of the City to develop the social/community capital that is integral to student success.

 

8.      With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools?   If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

 

It is important that students go to school with a diverse student population.  Ideally it shouldn’t matter where a child lives or goes to school, because all of our schools should be serving students equally. 

 

Integration is important, but it doesn’t guarantee that student achievement will increase. 

 

9.      Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a.      What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

 

When making decisions that are in the long-term best interest of our district, we oftentimes find ourselves in conflict with the short-term emotions of students and parents.  The hardest part is making a good decision versus a political decision.

 

b.      Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

 

One model that might be worth exploring is replacing the role of the Superintendent with a personnel manager and expanding the role of the School Board.  Other states have had success with similar models.  I am not saying that I fully support this move, but it might be worth exploring what our district would look like under that model.

 

c.       The Governor recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school district be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

 

I do not support this recommendation.  It will only lead to increased politicization of our schools.  We need less politics in the schools, not more.

 

10.  Your role in the school board

a.      How do you define the role of a school board member?

 

The role of a school board member is to co-govern the district.  We are there to develop a vision for our schools and work with the Superintendent to implement that vision. 

 

b.      How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?  

 

A minimum of 20 hours per week, but at times it could push upwards of 40 hours a week depending upon what additional commitments I make to the Board.

 

c.       If elected, how many terms do you plan to serve?

 

I will serve at least two terms, if the voters allow.  I don’t know what my life will look like in 8 years, but right now I am not opposed to serving more than two terms.

 

11.  Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you?

 

Success in the Minneapolis Public Schools will have been achieved when every student is equipped with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to succeed in any post-graduation endeavor they choose.  This, of course, requires that every child that starts school finishes school.  It will also require that regardless of location in the city or school attended, students are receiving an education that meets their specific needs.

 

 

Responses to School Board Questionaire - Doug Mann

Candidate Questionaire

Responses below are by Doug Mann, Minneapolis School Board candidate, citywide, seeking Green Party endorsement.

1.The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color.

a. What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

Accountability, best practices, curriculum, and stability of the teaching staff.

b. What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

I call for an end to ability-grouping practices that result in watered-down curriculum tracks. The district should provide effective reading instruction to all students, beginning in early elementary grades, not just for those identified as being academically gifted in Kindergarten. To eliminate watered-down curriculum tracks, the district can utilize a program sponsored by the Education Trust, Arts for Academic Achievement, which is proven to boost test scores in Minneapolis Public Schools, but is not used to its full potential as a means to eliminate watered-down curriculum, the purpose for which it was designed.

To bring stability to the teaching staff in all schools, I propose ending the practice of firing and replacing most teachers before they complete their 3 year, post-hire probationary period. I also advocate repeal of a Jim Crow era teacher tenure act for cities of the first class (Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth) that allows the Minneapolis School District to arbitrarily fire probationary teachers every spring on the pretext of financial uncertainties, and then to replace many of them. These teachers must reapply for their jobs and may be replaced by the district in any event. The teacher tenure act for the rest of the state allows a district to fire and replace teachers, including those on probation, only for misconduct or poor performance.

c. If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

Based on the district's experience of stabilizing the teaching staff at North Star and Hall elementary schools in the 1990s, and the reported benefits of utilizing the Art for Academic Achievement program in Minneapolis Public Schools, I would expect significant improvement in test scores, student behavior, and parental involvement the first year that the above suggestions are implemented, especially in schools that have been plagued by high teacher turnover rates and are filled with students of color.

2. Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students may lead to insufficient attention being paid to the needs of average and higher performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

The achievement gap was being closed in the 1970s to late 1980s. According to the report of a panel of K-12 education experts selected by the Reagan-Bush administration, A Nation at Risk (released in April 1983), the gap was being closed at the expense of high achievers. But an analysis of data done by the Sandia National Laboratories, commissioned by GHW Bush and released during the Clinton administration, showed modest improvement in standardized test scores for high achieving students while the gap was being closed. Since the late 1980s we have seen a widening achievement gap accompanied by increased racial segregation, greater exposure of students of color to new teachers and rapid teaching staff turnover, and the promotion of ability-grouping practices that result in watered-down curriculum tracks that have a disparately negative effect on students of color.

3. It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teachers' contract make more difficult the staffing of schools adequate to meet the needs of all students. What is your view?

I don't agree that certain provisions of the teacher contract and teacher tenure law are to blame for the lack of stability in teacher staffing in many of the district's schools, especially those that few white students attend. High teacher turnover rates are primarily an affect of arbitrarily firing and replacing most new teachers before they complete their probationary period. Eliminating provisions of tenure laws and teacher contract provisions that restrict the district's ability to involuntarily reassign teachers while ignoring the underlying cause of the high turnover is only going to make a bad situation worse.

4. One idea to improve student outcomes is to have a longer school day or a longer school year. Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

I do not favor a longer school day. This will tend to drive more students out of the district's schools. It would require increasing the workday for full-time teachers, presumably without increased compensation. And it is unlikely that the positive effect of a longer school day would be very great, other things being equal. The achievement gap is mainly a reflection of the quality of instruction received by students, and it seems to me that the most effective and efficient way to boost achievement is to stabilize the teaching staff and eliminate watered-down curriculum.

5. Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

a. What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

I think that making quality, early childhood education accessible to all is a wonderful idea. My concerns about promoting early childhood education as the solution to the achievement gap are that the district must rely on the state legislature to make this happen, it takes the focus away from fixing the schools, and it is connected to the idea that an early education achievement gap reflects differences in innate abilities between racial and income groups, which I believe to be false and racist.

b. How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

I am not familiar with how pre-K and K-12 programs are currently aligned.

6. Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

a. Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

I oppose the replacement of public schools with charter schools. The failure to take effective action to fix the schools, and the perpetuation of practices that are setting up many public school students and teachers for failure, will lead to the establishment of a charterized system, a fully privatized public school system. However, I see the problem of unequal access to quality school programs by race and poverty persisting and continuing to get worse if the district continues down the path of school reform it is following.

b. What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

Charter schools operate independently of the Minneapolis Public Schools. They wouldn't be charters if effectively controlled by the Minneapolis School District.

c. Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools?

I am opposed to moving toward a self-governed school model for governance of the Minneapolis School District. This takes the idea of site-based management a step further, and reduces the role and responsibility of the MPS leadership for operating the district's schools. Moving to this model of governance will create new obstacles to solving problems embedded in the public school system.

7. A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York.

a. How should the School Board respond?

I think the board should willing to work with the Northside residents who set up the Northside Achievement Zone. And in connection with that, there should be a public discussion about the Harlem Children's Zone experience: What conclusions should be drawn?

b. Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

Currently, in the fund for regular education teacher payroll costs, accounting gimmicks conceal a disproportionate payout to teachers in the SW quadrant of the district, where the mean average pay reflects a high concentration of the districts best paid teachers there. On the other hand, the district saves enormous amounts of money by preventing a large proportion of the teaching staff from becoming permanent, or 'tenured' employees. And it happens that the lowest paid teachers are concentrated in schools that few white students attend on the Near North Side. It has been said that teacher salaries only account for 35.9 per cent of the district's income, but teachers salaries make up a much larger part of the district's operating fund, and closer to 80% of the payroll costs that come out of the operating budget.

8. With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools? If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

I think we could do a much better job of racially integrating the schools and improving the quality of schools in low income neighborhood. It is not a matter of choosing integration versus improving the quality of education. We can do both. I do not favor a return to the controlled choice desegregation plan that was in place in the 1980s and early 1990s. However, much can be done to better integrate the student population by the way school attendance boundaries are drawn, new school sites selected, etc. Since implementation of the community school plan in 1996, the district has gone out of its way to make the schools less racially integrated and less equal in quality. Also, the city government promised to take steps to better integrate the city's neighborhoods, but effective action was never taken. The best, most effective way to racially integrate the city's neighborhoods is to aggressively enforce fair housing and employment laws, utilizing survey teams to gather evidence of unlawful discrimination. The credible threat of action to enforce the law will produce changes in the behavior of discriminators.

9. Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a. What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

In my opinion, changes in school governance promoted by the No Child Left Behind agenda in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act since 2001, and through the Obama administration's Race To The Top grants are a disaster for the public school system. It is bad public policy, at least from the point of view of the poorer 80% to 90% of the population who cannot easily afford to put their children in good private schools.

b. Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

I think the best governance model is the public school model that immediately predates No Child Left Behind. The school system is failing to provide a quality education to all on an equal basis, not because of a more-or-less traditional public school governance model, but because of specific policies that I have already addressed, as well as diminishing levels of funding for the public school system.

c. The Governor has recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

I am opposed to this idea. Where this idea has been implemented, e.g., Chicago and New York, it has been easier for the school district administration to do corporate-style reforms and privatize the public school system. I think it is better for the voters to directly elect the school board.

10. Your role in the school board

a. How do you define the role of a school board member?

The school board members are responsible for setting policy, and are directly involved in developing budgets and overseeing the school district operations with assistance from administrative staff.

b. How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?

I expect to spend about 10 to 20 hours per week. However, this would involve going above and beyond the call of duty, and is more than one can expect of board members who are employed elsewhere on a full time basis. I am currently working on-call as an Educational Associate / Instructional Assistant for the Edina Public Schools and working as a volunteer ESL tutor and classroom assistant for the Adult Basic education program, Minneapolis Public Schools. In 2008, board members reported that they typically spent 10 to 20 hours per month fulfilling their duties, and sometimes as many as 40 hours per month in exceptional circumstances.

11. Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

My goal, which happens to be the strategic goal of the district, at least on paper, is to make a quality public education accessible to all on an equal basis. To the extent we are successful in achieving that goal, we should see a diminishing racial test score gap, and reduced disparities in other outcomes, including rates of placement of students in special Ed programs for emotional-behavioral disorders, fewer students forced to take psychotropic drugs to control their behavior, less need to resort to disciplinary action for student behavior, and increased enrollment of K-12 students in the Minneapolis Public Schools. One measure of the district's failure in this regard over the past dozen years is enrollment of students on the Near North Side in regular district-run schools falling to about 25% of all K-12 students residing there.

Responses to School Board Questionaire - Hussein Samatar

Candidate questionnaire

Candidate website: www.samatarforschoolboard.org

 

 

1. The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the

achievement of low-income students and students of color.

 

a. What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

 

The most important in raising achievement are:

Parental involvement and parental care

High expectations for all of our students specially student of color in the district

Highly motivated and highly trained teachers

High quality curriculum across board

Believing all our children can achieve their potential.

 

b. What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

 

The school board has one employee and that is the superintendent. The measures

that the board can set for the superintendents to improve students’ outcomes are:

Following and building upon the Changing School Options plan

Developing techniques that promise to improve ELL instruction

Developing stronger data reporting systems -- academic and business

Building strong, honest relationships with stakeholders

Monitoring and improving learning (not just test scores) of students of color

 

c. If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see

significant results?

 

I think it is dangerous every two years to select board members who are expected to reject all that is in place and apply their silver-bullet strategies. I want to work with the “Changing School

Options” plan to promote a process of continuous improvements in our schools.

I will bring the ability to apply sound business principles and engage effectively the new

American community in the process.

 

2. Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income

students may lead to insufficient attention being paid to the needs of average and higher

performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

 

Solutions for closing the achievement gap cannot be an either or decision.

Policies that are provide universal assistance across schools are also effective in

 

closing the achievement gap for low-income students such as homework help,

college counseling and smaller classes.

 

3. It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teachers' contract make more

difficult the staffing of schools adequate to meet the needs of all students. What is your

view?

 

For long time it seems to me the opportunity gap that does exist in the district is being

blamed on teachers and the contract that they have with the district. Before I can

comment on the provisions of the teachers’ contract that make difficult to staff our

school adequately. I will need to learn and study those provisions.

 

However, your committee seems to assume that the problem is “how do we force

teachers to carry out our plan?”

 

Our teachers have worked hard with our students and they have seen many utopian

plans come ad go. They are rightly skeptical. We need to listen more carefully to

teachers about what will work and engage in honest conversation with them.

 

4. One idea to improve student outcomes is to have a longer school day or a longer

school year. Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would

you like to see that happen?

 

Yes, I would favor to having a longer school day. I am not sure we need to cut in

Minnesota our summer break. Students that need specific help during the summer

should be provided for them the opportunity to attend high quality summer programs.

 

Currently standards focus on the "core" of education i.e. reading, math and science.

Strong technological, engineering and artistic components are important to the learning

process and address different ways students learn. Robotics teams, debate clubs etc

could be incorporated into extended learning periods.

 

5. Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing

the achievement gap.

 

a. What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

 

Closing the opportunity gap that is created before kindergarten will be one of the most

effective ways to create equity within our school system. I am aware and support the

work of Art Rolnick.

 

We can offer comprehensive early education opportunities, but we do not have the

funding for public support to offer universal preschool. We must look beyond the school

board to our legislature and to our parents.

 

b. How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

 

One way to secure a better alignment is the district to collaborate effectively with Head

Start program and organizations such Way to Grow.

 

I do believe there are efforts at alignment going on now with some success. Head Start

affirms its worth by vilifying the Minneapolis School District. It must be pushed to

collaborate.

 

6. Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering

education.

 

a. Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

 

Minneapolis should strive to meet the needs that charter schools are providing. Over

time charters have often created segregation in districts. Charter schools are not doing

any better than the district for the most part in Minnesota.

 

b. What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

c. Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools?

 

Teachers are professionals that often have the best understanding of what is needed in

a school/classroom.

 

7. A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming

to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New

York.

a. How should the School Board respond?

 

The School Board should be as supportive as possible. One of the key elements to

closing the achievement gap is to ensure students and their parent's value education and

have support. Teacher and school alone will not be as successful in closing the

achievement gap without the aid of the whole community.

 

b. Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a

particular portion of the city?

 

Public education works just fine in some parts of the city and not in other parts. The

damage done to the children is too great for the public schools alone to overcome. We

should not look at the Northside as ‘special effort” but as an effort to find what will

work in an area where nothing has worked so far. If we see failure anywhere in the city,

then we should be ready to work on specific solutions to that area.

 

A cookie cutter model of education has been ineffective in meeting the diverse needs of

students. Testing ideas and programs that could provide innovative solutions is

important especially if those initiatives can give us insights on how to scale successful

idea.

 

 

8. With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant

challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while

others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low-

income neighborhoods.

What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city

schools? If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

 

We are seeing authentic cross-race relationship developing in some schools, and we

should honor them. I would need to listen and think a great deal before taking a position

on expanding the use of our limited resources for bussing. We can do more with

creating cross-cultural opportunities in working with out of school time.

 

9. Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a. What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

 

Extreme democracy – everyone is and expert. It is difficult to govern when so much

attention is given to critics. Sometimes the critics are right, and we need to listen them.

But the well is so frequently poisoned by people with personal agendas that make

governance very difficult. We need to work on a model that better incorporates those on

the outside who want in to make sustainable changes.

 

The most important decisions are make by state and federal authorities. Local school

boards have limited leeway to make decisions that help our children. We need to discuss

a better balance.

 

b. Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

 

Formalizing regular discussions between the board and various constituent groups.

Including students and teachers.

 

c. The Governor has recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts

be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

 

A member of the board should be focused on using the board to do the best possible for

our children. I would need to learn of any benefits of and unanticipated consequences of

the consolidation.

 

10. Your role in the school board

a. How do you define the role of a school board member?

 

A school board member is elected to use his or her best judgment on issues of policy

affecting the schools. A school board member should also maintain strong community

relationships and bring what he or she learns to board decisions.

 

 

A board member should not attempt to manage the day to day working of the district.

 

b. How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?

 

I expect to spend between 15- 20 hours a week.

 

11. Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

 

Success for me is when every child can learn and achieve his or her potential in

life. When our students can read and write fluently more than one language, and

are ready to compete in the market place after high school graduation. When our

students do not need remedial work if and when they reach college. When all of

students 100% can have the choice to go to college or make career choice that

makes them responsible adults while making our community a better place.

 

 

 

 

Responses to School Board Questionaire - Marcia Thomas

Marcia Thomas

Candidate questionnaire:

1.      The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color. 

a.      What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

Academically challenging classes, enrichment opportunities in arts, music and athletics must be available to all students in all schools. These classes engage and stimulate students to think more critically, more creatively and expect the best for themselves. Expand early childhood programs that prepare children for kindergarten and foster parent partnerships. Small class sizes are critical to ensure a student-teacher connection.  

b.      What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

Prioritize equitable program offerings. Invest in early childhood and small class sizes.

c.       If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

I think it is reasonable to expect to see results in three to five years. In addition to test scores, results would be demonstrated by greater kindergarten readiness and an increase in graduation rates.

2.      Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students may lead to insufficient attention being paid to the needs of average and higher performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

All children deserve to be challenged academically. Differentiated instruction, use of technology and partnering with other schools are some ways to address the needs of high academic achievers. In addition, high expectations and a positive can-do environment contribute to intrinsic motivation that supports all students reaching their potential. 

3.      It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teachers' contract make more difficult the staffing of schools adequate to meet the needs of all students.  What is your view?

I feel teachers should be hired and assigned by mutual consent. Currently there is a memorandum of understanding between the Minneapolis Teachers Federation and Minneapolis Public Schools allowing assignment by mutual consent. I support this. By allowing teachers to apply for the positions they are interested in and school sites to select the teachers with the desired skill set, the practice of mutual consent increases the likelihood that teachers will be successful and schools will be able to meet the needs of all students.

4.      One idea to improve student outcomes is to have a longer school day or a longer school year.  Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

I support increasing learning time with longer school days or longer school years. Currently MPS is working with the legislature to make the necessary changes to the law that will allow School Districts to determine their own calendar. 

5.      Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

 a.      What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

Early childhood education is necessary to ensure all children are kindergarten ready. MPS must pursue all options for state and federal funding of early childhood programs. In addition, we need to be willing to explore creative options to support early childhood with K-12 dollars and be willing to charge tuition where there is an ability to pay.

b.      How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

Locating pre-k programs within our elementary schools facilitates greater collaboration between preschool and kindergarten teachers. Professional development that supports common practices and curriculum knowledge for both pre-k and kindergarten teachers and assistants will help align pre-k and k-12 programs.

6.      Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

a.      Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

I have concerns about the ability of charter schools to treat teachers fairly. At a recent presentation I listened as a local charter school reported an annual 25% teacher turnover rate. I was alarmed by the attitude that teachers are expendable and easily replaced. I do not feel this is a sustainable model for school stability.

Some charter schools offer educational opportunities that meet the needs of families and students such as dual language immersion programs. In the case where MPS does not offer a comparable option, charter school can be beneficial to families and students. I favor schools that have high performance and accountability standards.

b.      What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

The relationship needs to be mutually beneficial. Charter schools that have high standards and offer an educational environment that is compatible with MPS present an opportunity for sharing resources that should be explored in these tough economic times.

c.       Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools?

The autonomy of self-governed schools allows for a whole school approach to meeting the needs of students with fewer constraints. I support self-governed schools and look forward to watching and supporting the successful implementation of the French Immersion school.

 7.      A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York.

a.      How should the School Board respond?

The board should embrace this opportunity to provide resources and programming that meets the needs of the community.

b.      Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

Yes, we need to work with communities where our schools exist to ensure their needs are met. 

8.      With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools?   If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

I feel both integration and improving school quality are important.  Currently schools in Southwest and North Minneapolis are racially isolated. Bussing students from one area of the city to another has not significantly improved achievement. It is important to ensure that all schools are offer equitable programming with academically challenging classes, enrichment programming in arts, music and athletics.

9.      Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a.      What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

One of the greatest challenges is the increase in Federal mandates and decrease in funds. Another challenge involves the tension that exists with a policy making body and management decisions. Although the board is primarily a policy making body, it does have the responsibility for approving contracts and deciding on property and assets.  

b.      Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

I am not aware of other governance models in comparable districts that have proven to be more effective than how we currently operate.

c.       The Governor has recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

I feel school districts and school board must remain independent from city politics. Voters overwhelmingly passed the ABC referendum in 2008, allowing school board directors to be elected by district. Representational governance gives the public a voice in the decision making process. This is necessary for people to feel a sense of ownership in their public school system.

10.  Your role in the school board

a.      How do you define the role of a school board member?

The school board is a policy making body. Its role is to govern. The school board does not manage daily operations of administration or school sites. However, it is the role of a board member to understand how decisions are made and offer support and guidance without micromanaging. A board member builds trust with the community with open, responsive communication. I n addition, a board member brings the needs and concerns of constituents to the superintendent.

One of the greatest responsibilities of a school board member is to hire and create a contract for the superintendent. Accountability measures built into the contract such as project and performance goals set the standard for the district.

b.      How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?  

The position of school board director is an extremely important job. It can easily be a full-time position and I’m prepared to treat it as such.

11.  Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

I define success as every child reaching their full potential and elimination of the achievement gap. Increased graduation rates with students having multiple post-high school opportunities. I envision our schools as hubs of community activity with robust programming for all ages, attracting students from the entire metro area.  This vision includes every adult feeling a sense of purpose and pride in the contributions they make to the well-being and later-life success of our students.

Responses to School Board Questionaire - Rebecca Gagnon

Candidate questionnaire:

1.      The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color. 

a.      What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

The Achievement Gap is not a problem unique to Minneapolis Public Schools. As an urban school district, with a decreasing budget, decreasing enrollment, a majority of students under the title 1 umbrella, a significant homeless/highly mobile population, and a diverse population with various needs like NLL/ELL, MPS cannot look at one path to closing the achievement gap. However, we can reach a goal of all students college ready when they graduate high school. To do so, the District MUST: 

·       Research & utilize best practices from other like urban school districts that have had success in closing the achievement gap

·       SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF SUCCESS to our students! Teachers, staff, and administration must BELIEVE that our students can achieve, graduate high school, attend college, and plan their future.

·       INCREASE PARENT INVOLVEMENT – parents MUST play a role by taking an interest in what their child does at school, reading with their child, doing homework with them, volunteering at school if possible, connecting with their teachers on a regular basis, and also communicating expectations and opportunities of higher education to their child!

·       Providing Professional Development for teachers and strengthening and broadening our Teacher Mentor program is critical so that all of our extraordinary teachers can differentiate in their classrooms, working with each individual student to achieve a school year’s worth of academic progress and celebrate all of our student’s individual academic achievements!

 

b.      What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

The MPS School Board is tasked with overseeing the district’s budget, curriculum, personnel, and facilities. With that in mind, the Board must be diligent in following up with the curriculum in the schools for all groups of kids K-12, Special Needs, ELL/NLL, etc. Was it implemented properly? Is it the right fit for our schools? Are we following up with professional development for our teachers and are the teachers supported? The Board must require that all teachers and staff perform to high standards, gauging performance of teachers by the achievement of their students. Not by standardized test scores that rank students against their fellow students, locally and nationally, but by a variety of means that measure an individual child’s academic growth in a school year.   Finally, the MPS School Board needs to stay apprised of best practices from other urban school districts with the help of our Superintendent in order to constantly work towards improvement. A great curriculum and awesome teachers and staff are part of the solution. However, we must be diligent in tracking the success (or failure) of the programs we implement and the teachers and staff that we hire.

c.      If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

Implementing my suggestions would go a long way in achieving academic progress throughout the district. However, some of my ideas are a shift in culture for MPS, and habits die hard. Parent involvement alone is a daunting task, especially with the recent negativity towards the district after CSO, special ed. program shifts, and the federally mandated “transformation” of our lowest performing schools. I have no doubt that our teachers want their students to achieve. So how do we re-train the way we do things to embrace the idea that all of us are a team – students, parents, teachers, staff – and we must work together, using a common language of achievement, showing our students on a daily basis that we believe in them and in their ability to be academically successful. We do it through district wide professional development and district wide community engagement. We do it by setting an example from the top down. The most common thing I have heard from IB teachers about transitioning to IB is the difficulty and awkwardness of learning the “language” of IB – profiles, units of inquiry, etc. However, after several months, or by the end of a school year, it is second nature and has transformed how they teach. I think that my suggestions will cause a similar reaction, and significant results will occur within one to two years of implementation – but the parent involvement piece is key.

2.      Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students may lead to insufficient attention being paid to the needs of average and higher performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

As a parent of three children in three MPS schools at three different educational stages (high school, middle school, kindergarten), I can certainly relate to the frustration of your child being left to work independently because he/she has already mastered the curriculum or is already reading above grade level. This is where differentiation in the classroom works brilliantly and successfully. We need more professional development and teacher mentoring to implement this teaching style throughout the district. We need to work hard to keep classroom sizes manageable or offer support to teachers with larger class sizes.

3.      It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teachers' contract make more difficult the staffing of schools adequate to meet the needs of all students.  What is your view?

The history of the teachers union and their relationship with the District is not something of which I am well versed. However, in our financial and academic climate, MPS must have the flexibility to put teachers where they fit and move teachers when the opposite is true. Schools that require specialized teacher training, like IB, Montessori, and Open, must be able to hire certified teachers for their programs to remain viable and successful. On the flip side, teachers need to have confidence in their job security if they are performing to high standards, and their students are achieving.

 

4.      One idea to improve student outcomes is to have a longer school day or a longer school year.  Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

 

I favor a longer school day and school year, but it is NOT the answer to our achievement gap problem. I moved my children from a district in Austin, TX that had an IB Middle School and an IB High School with longer school days and eight class periods. The High School was on block scheduling (more like a college schedule). When our schools are considered for IB status, one factor is our shorter school day and the six period class schedule in high school. It is very difficult to achieve an IB diploma with this schedule. Also, I think that if kids are in school, they are learning and they are in a safe, nurturing environment (at least I expect that to be true). Those factors ALONE are a convincing argument for a longer school day and the benefit to MPS students. A three month break in the summer creates a hardship on a lot of dual working or single parent households. Students do not retain what they have learned in school after such a long break. Of course, both of these require longer and more school days for teachers and staff which would require an increase in wages.

5.      Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

 a.      What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

PLEASE invest in early childhood education. Those little brains are so eager to learn. They absorb EVERYTHING, and they are so willing to please. Toddlers and preschoolers want social interaction, want to explore and learn. Equally important is the early intervention that can occur if special needs are caught at a younger age and addressed appropriately.

b.      How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

Working within the public school system to offer early childhood education is ideal because the district knows what would help a child to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. The district also has the resources to intervene if there is a special need. Early childhood education programs should mimic the learning style of the school site in which they are located. Montessori, IB, Open teaching, etc. should be implemented at the early childhood education level in order to create smooth transitions.

6.      Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

a.      Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

I favor successful learning institutions. Different models work for different students. Charter schools, run with integrity and accountable for student outcomes, are good alternatives for some MPS students. Also, successful Charter schools can lead to innovation in teaching and increase parent/community involvement in their child’s education.

b.      What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

MPS and charter schools should work together to serve the community. Each fills a need, and student achievement is our common goal. Charter schools under contract with MPS should be held accountable for their contract which allows them greater autonomy in return for student achievement.

d.      Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools? 

Again, I favor any learning institution model that is successful, accountable, and creating students who are college ready upon graduation. With our diverse community, there is no ONE type of school that fits all the needs of our Minneapolis children. 

 7.      A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York.

a.      How should the School Board respond?

This is a wonderful opportunity to reach out to this community and reconnect with them. Parents are a huge resource. They know their kids. They bring many skills and talents to the table. The Board should engage with these parents and address their concerns, value their initiative and work alongside them to improve their school communities. Whether that ends up looking like the Harlem Children’s Zone in NY or not, the Board and District is now engaged with, listening, responding, and valuing the community which creates trust and dedication to their MPS school.

b.      Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

Financial needs throughout the city of Minneapolis or not the same. When we can unequivocally point to an area of the city that contains a large percentage of the lowest 5% performing schools in the state, then we must act to “reinvest” in that community and make a commitment to truly “transform” their school programs, with community and parent support, and the necessary financial assistance to produce desired outcomes.

8.      With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools?   If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

I believe that integration IS improving the quality of schools in all of our neighborhoods. It goes hand in hand with student achievement and our students’ success in the future. We must learn to live in a global society, to react to one another as people, as unique individuals, not as black and white and Asian and Hispanic. This benefits NO ONE! However, it is not entirely up to the school district to make this happen. There are other boundary and neighborhood planning issues that are not within the control of MPS. We must partner with the City and Park Boards and other Minneapolis government agencies to address the issue of city-wide integration.

9.      Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a.      What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

How do you measure success and create accountability within a public education governing body? There are a number of factors beyond the control of any governing body that create roadblocks to achieving goals and stifle efforts to deliver positive change. As long range planners for a school district, many times results aren’t realized for a considerable length of time, making it difficult to evaluate decisions made by these governing bodies. Another challenge is the significant pressures and “blame” directed at individual members of a governing body who are, on the most part, volunteering their time.

c.      Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

There are a number of different governing models that other urban districts have utilized with mixed results. Mayoral control, elected school board, board of directors appointed by a mayor, an elected school board that has one full time paid Chief Operating Officer are a few examples. I would explore models that have been implemented for a decade or more in urban school districts, look at the effect the model has had on student achievement, and look at community support and involvement in the district.

d.      The Governor has recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

The research I have reviewed does not see an impact on student achievement with this model. It seems that governance from the top of the city government food chain would create a lot of bureaucracy. How would the Mayor function within the district, attending parent advisory committee meetings, attending area meetings, reaching out to parent organizations, etc. There is an advantage to a business model for running a school district, however, tens of thousands of children, parents, and community members want to have input in their child’s education. I imagine there would still be individuals appointed to work in the school district on a micro level, as the Mayor hardly has time to take on that task. Elected school board members are typically engaged with their community and have state government mandated authority to run the district’s public education system – they have no other governing responsibilities like the Mayor.

10.  Your role in the school board

a.      How do you define the role of a school board member?

The Minneapolis Board of Education not only governs the schools. It is the tie that binds all the Areas/Zones and schools together to create interconnectedness within our District. Although we divide ourselves into three areas/zones, we are one district with a goal for all of our students to achieve academic success. Equality of education within MPS must be addressed at the school board level. I see my role on the school board as a strategic planner, a support system for our Administrative staff, an advocate for our District, and part of a collaborative effort – with students, parents, communities, teachers, and staff – to do what is best for MPS. I do not micro manage. I must have faith in the Administrative staff, teachers, and school site staff to govern and teach to the highest standards. The School Board must be forward thinkers, long-range planners, and we should be community builders, working within MPS to engage parents.

b.      How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?  

I would expect that I spend between 10-15 hours a week (on average) on school board related matters.

11.  Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

Integrated schools, increased student achievement using better ways to measure this achievement, financial stability, positive teacher/district relations, higher standards for our teachers, staff, AND students, and a much higher level of parent and community support and engagement within MPS.

Responses to School Board Questionaire - Richard Mammen

*Achievement Gap Committee Candidate Questionnaire*

 

1.      The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color.

 

a.      What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

 

Successful schools, healthy families and thriving communities are all necessary for raising student achievement. They are inter-related and must be addressed comprehensively – and collaboratively - if we are to actually make significant gains. Public schools can be the foundation of how we build all three.

 

Briefly, I believe successful schools have these essential supports:

Professional capacity - Strong, experienced, skillful teachers –  with can do attitudes and confidence in professional judgment.

School leadership – principals that are inclusive, facilitative leaders who create a sense of community in the school.

Parent-Community ties and involvement – supportive families and neighborhoods that are present, providing social support and high expectations while ensuring attendance

Student-centered learning climate – friendly and welcoming places, providing safety and order as well as student engagement in creating results.

Instructional guidance and shared learning- promoting innovation and best practice application and using data driven decision making,

Cultural competency - staff and community supports that reflect and embrace the cultures and diversity of the students, families and school community.                                                      

Relational competency – building social capital through inclusive and trusting relationships that are “audited” regularly, with problems  addressed and successes celebrated.

 

 

b.      What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

 

The MPS Strategic and Changing School Options plans are promising, dynamic and measureable. District leadership needs to implement and work the plans, ensuring accountabilities and honest communication of performance. The board should expect results, adopt policies and provide resources that support district goals.

 

 

c.       If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

 

This depends on the results we’re looking for. Some should be immediate – enrollment, parent engagement and attendance, positive school climate, etc. Others – ie. individual math/reading scores, graduation rates, school readiness - will take time as momentum builds and metrics develop. That said, we better see positive results in the next 2-3 years.

 

2.      Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students means that insufficient attention is being paid to the needs of average and high performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

 

The “zero-sum” budget and class bias thinking that I suspect is at the base of this concern has to be challenged. All children can and deserve to be challenged academically and we have the capacity to do so if the “system” is focused on the learner rather than the system itself. One size doesn’t fit all so we must be flexible and creative. The supports that students need, inside and outside of the classroom, have to be recognized and addressed. Tutors and mentoring, advanced learning opportunities, pull-out programs, inter-school collaboration, after school programs, summer camps, social services and all the community resources available have to be recognized and employed. Every child must succeed.

 

3.      It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teacher's contract prevent the administration from staffing the schools adequately to meet the needs of students. Please comment on your opinion of the current teacher's contract.

 

The current teachers’ contract is a complex document that has been built over a number of years and defines multiple operational processes in addition to compensation and benefits. A central cost neutral issue in current negotiations appears to be management’s right to hire, fire and place teachers where they see fit.

 

Seniority is a value that I respect because the teaching profession has been built on it. Experience creates expertise like nothing else. However, I don’t believe that it should be the only factor in school assignment (bidding) or lay-offs. “Last hired, first fired” limits our capacity to balance talent and experience as well as build a workforce that is diverse and change oriented.

 

This is a major reform and should be addressed thoughtfully and creatively. Its my understanding that a current memorandum of understanding provides a combination approach in interview and select with some recognition of seniority in schools that are being “fresh started.”  What are the results? How can we build on them? What works for students is more important than who’s in charge.

 

I continue to expect MFT59 and MPS to find a balanced, fair, respectful and accountable practice that best provides for strong schools throughout the system.

 

 

4.      One idea to improve student outcomes is to spend more time on task. That might mean a longer school day or a longer school year.  Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

 

The research I’ve seen clearly shows that lower performing students benefit from more “time on task.” As a board member I would encourage our academic leadership to present research-based alternatives in structuring the school day and calendar, utilization of technology and distance learning and any other method to get stronger academic results. If new policies are needed to promote innovation, experimentation and flexibility to get more positive results I will support them.

 

 

5.      Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

 

a.      What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

 

Too many kids start kindergarten already at a severe disadvantage. Quality early childhood education is one of the soundest investments our state, community and district can make relative to strengthening later learning capacity and eliminating our achievement gaps. I support district involvement in assuring that ALL children have access to quality programs.

 

b.      How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

 

MPS can achieve this internally by building partnerships with other organizations and locating programs in MPS facilities. Opening up our existing buildings and co-locating programs will provide comfort, familiarity and trust resulting in stronger enrollment numbers and “market share.”

 

Also, MPS should recognize the benefit that pre-K programs bring and work to engage stronger external relationships with providers and communication with parents of young children. I especially would work to engage Ready for K, Way To Grow, the MN Early Learning Foundation and other partners and repair the relationship between MPS and PICA-Head Start.

 

6.      Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

 

a.          Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

 

I don’t favor or oppose charter schools but I do recognize their existence as a public education movement that is here for the long haul. As one who witnessed the birth of the charter school movement in Minnesota when it was introduced as an idea by American Federation of Teachers president Albert Shanker at the Itasca Conference in 1990 (as a means of “teacher-led” educational reform) and as the founder of a charter school (Cyber Village Academy) on behalf of MPS in 1996, I remain befuddled by the animosity demonstrated by MPS staff and boards towards charters. The competition and resulting loss of students could have been avoided if MPS had behaved differently.

 

b.      What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

 

It should be respectful, collaborative and accountable. The New Schools department is an encouraging development and I look forward to their stewardship in building mutually responsible relationships with successful charter schools that benefit Minneapolis children.

 

 

c.       Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools?

 

I favor strong teacher leadership in all aspects of the enterprise. I’m casually familiar with the emerging French Immersion school recently approved by the board and the development of the New Schools department. I’m supportive of other new teacher led initiatives and the promise they hold. I’m also very interested in the discussions occurring about MFT59 becoming authorizers of charter schools.

 

 

7.      A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children's Zone in New York.

 

a.      How should the School Board respond?

 

With curiosity and supportive help. The parents, residents and other stakeholders are stepping up to address MPS’s mission. Let’s participate as a collaborative partner.

 

b.      Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

 

The geography isn’t what’s important.  It’s the mission and leadership that matters. The District should invest as it can in any strategy that promotes greater success for its lowest performing students and their families. 

 

 

8.      With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. 

What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools?   If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

 

Bussing and school choice is evolving as evidenced by the Changing School Options plan. I’m terribly disappointed by the resegregation of many of our schools but I’m reminded that Minneapolis is one of the most racially and economically segregated cities of its size in the country. It has been for over 150 years. Unless our other governmental partners comprehensively address economic development and housing issues I don’t anticipate a change. The diversity of our students and families is an asset that we must find ways to take advantage of. We must improve the quality of schools in low-income neighborhoods and make them attractive to increase integration.

As local resources become scarcer I’m interested in learning more about the development of regional school districts as suggested by Myron Orfield and his colleagues. Change is inevitable.

 

9.      Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

 

a.      What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

 

Communication, transparency in decision-making, accountability, public trust and appropriate staff-board protocols are challenges that need to be addressed. Pushing more decision-making down to schools and closer to students, teachers and parents with HELPFUL administrative and board support is a personal goal for me.

 

b.      Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

 

We should constantly be curious about successful models and be willing to change structurally if student and school success is enhanced. Form ought to follow function and mission.

 

c.       The Governor recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school district be managed by the cities' mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

 

Based on the current structural realities of municipal government in Minneapolis I don’t think it’s a sound idea.

 

10.  Your role in the school board

 

a.      How do you define the role of a school board member?

 

As a governance body the school board has 3 primary roles: 1) to set policies that guide the mission and management of the district; 2) to establish the budget and provide fiduciary oversight of management; and 3) to hire and supervise the superintendent. Consistent with these roles is an ultimate accountability for the district’s “health” and success in achieving its mission and goals. 

 

As elected officials and representatives of the public, board members also have responsibilities to provide constituent service - including effective protocols for communication with students, families, teachers, employees, collaborative partners and the broader community. Board members should be advocates for the success of the organization as a whole and not act as an intrusion on discrete operations or issues. 

 

b.      How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?  

 

20-25 hours on average.

 

c.       If elected, how many terms do you plan to serve?

 

I haven’t really thought about it past one but will serve as long as I feel I can be effective.

 

 

11.  Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

 

Elimination of the achievement gap; 100% graduation rates; balanced enrollment in all high schools; all students are bi-lingual; young families moving into all Minneapolis neighborhoods because of the schools.

Responses to School Board Questionaire - T. Williams

Achievement Gap Questionnaire

 

1.      The Minneapolis Public Schools have struggled for some time to raise the achievement of low-income students and students of color. 

a.      What in your opinion are the most important factors in raising student achievement?

·      Qualified classroom teachers who can teach children with different learning styles

·      Engaged parents or caring adults

·      Wrap around social and health services readily accessible to the students

·      Community institutions actively engaged as partners with the schools in support of student learning

·      A system that holds all participants in the educational process accountable for measureable outcomes

b.      What measures should the school board take to improve student outcomes?

·      Implement and accountability systems that can adequately assesses the performance of all parties involved in teaching and learning

·      Set policies that will promote training and development of teachers qualified and capable of teaching students of diverse racial, social, economic and languages backgrounds

·      Aggressive strategies to improve student attendance and lessen student mobility

·      Provide the resources needed to achieve the goal

c.       If the school board follows your suggestions, how soon would you expect to see significant results?

·      I would expect immediate changes in student performance from those students who have good attendance records

·      Initially I focus on individual student progress as compared to previous performance

2.      Some people are concerned that focusing on academic achievement for low-income students may lead to insufficient attention being paid to the needs of average and higher performing students. How do you respond to that concern?

·      I don’t see that as an issue. I think we have the capacity and the commitment to accomplish both. In fact there may be way to connect the two and look for ways to engage the higher performing students in working with the lower achievers. It has been done before.

3.      It has been suggested that certain provisions of the teachers' contract make more difficult the staffing of schools adequate to meet the needs of all students.  What is your view?

·      It can be more challenging when schools cannot select the teachers believed to be the best fit for a particular school without consideration of contract provisions. MPS is partially addressing that issue through a Memorandum of Understanding with MFT to allow for Interview & Select. This allows and individual school to interview and hire the teachers it feels are a good fit for the school. 

4.      One idea to improve student outcomes is to have a longer school day or a longer school year.  Do you favor increasing learning time for students, and if so, how would you like to see that happen?

·      Research shows that there is a positive correlation between student learning and the amount of time on task. The challenge is find a way or ways to increase the opportunity for more time on task. That could be done by restructuring the current school day creating more time on task or by extending the school day or school year. I would opt not to prescribe a fix, but allow for experimentation and overtime select what works best.

5.      Early childhood education is often offered as an important strategy for addressing the achievement gap.

 a.      What are your views on investing in early childhood education?

·      I believe in and support expanded early childhood education as the most viable long term strategy for closing the achievement gap.

·      More affluent families routinely provide early childhood education for their children often through daily routines and rituals common to the families using their own resources. A parent is the child’s first teacher and parents who are more knowledgeable about what it takes to be ready for school will do better in preparing their children. For other parent support may be needed for helping them prepare their children.

b.      How can there be better alignment between pre-k programs and the K-12 system?

·      Co-locate pre-k programs in MPS schools so that children will begin to experience the school culture early and the provider have a sense of the relationship between pre-k and K-12.    

6.      Some people suggest we need more flexible or innovative models of delivering education.

a.      Do you favor or oppose charter schools?

·      Charter schools are an important part of the public education system and the focus should not be on whether I support or oppose them, but how can we make the a more effective tool in the overall delivery system of public school education.

b.      What should the relationship be between the charter schools and MPS?

·      I think it should be one of collaboration and cooperation. There should be curriculum sharing. The mobility between charter schools and MPS make it imperative that MPS and charters have shared understanding of curriculum so that proper assessments can be made of students as they move from one system to the next.

c.       Do you favor or oppose self-governed (teacher-led) schools? 

·      I support it. The School Board recently approved a teacher-led self-governed school.

 7.      A group of Northside residents have formed a Northside Achievement Zone, aiming to replicate some of the outcomes experienced by the Harlem Children’s Zone in New York.

a.     How should the School Board respond?

·      Find ways to embrace, support, collaborate and participate in the effort.

b.     Is it appropriate for the School Board to make special efforts or investments in a particular portion of the city?

·      As the opportunity might present itself, yes.

8.      With 65% students of color, the Minneapolis Public Schools face significant challenges with regard to integration. Some people prioritize integration efforts, while others argue that that it is more important to improve the quality of schools in low income neighborhoods. What is your opinion on this? Do you favor efforts to increase integration in the city schools?   If yes, what steps would you take to make that happen?

·      I’m a life-long supporter of integrated education. It’s in my genes, but I’m a realist. There no longer is neither moral nor legal imperative to work toward integrating our schools. In the absence of such imperatives, the more logical approach is to apply a regional strategy to school integration. Minneapolis demographics make integration highly problematic because it would require massive bussing of students. Historically students bussed for integration have been students of color. White students are reluctant to attend schools where they are not the numerical majority. Think one west-metro school district. There are several examples across the U.S.

9.      Improving governance of our public schools is a big topic of discussion.

a.      What in your opinion are the main governance challenges for public education?

·      Stability and continuity in school board membership

·      Communications among school board members

·      Accountability

b.      Are there different governance models that you believe are worth exploring?

c.       The Governor has recommended that the Minneapolis and St. Paul school districts be managed by the cities’ mayors. What is your opinion of this recommendation?

·      Not much. There is no evidence that mayoral appointed school boards are any more effective.

·      It certainly does not take the politics out of it.

10.  Your role in the school board

a.      How do you define the role of a school board member?

·      The school board a governing board with the responsibilities of selecting a superintendent and setting policies that govern the work of the District. It is responsible for approving the superintendent’s annual work plan and assessing the superintendent’s performance. Each board member shares equally in the process.

c.      How much time each week do you expect to spend on school related matters?

·      The time that one spends doing board work may vary, but expect to put in a minimum of 10 hrs. per week, which can escalate up to 20 or more hrs. per week.

 

11.  Finally, what does success in the Minneapolis Public Schools look like to you.

 

 

Twelve Minneapolis School Board Candidates Respond

Two weeks ago we posed a series of questions to the candidates for Minneapolis school board.  12 of the 14 candidates responded and their answers are linked below. 

For more information on the school board election, see the city website or this school board election preview from TC Daily Planet.

Rebecca Gagnon

Doug Mann

Alberto Monserrate

Hussein Samatar

Marcia Thomas

T. Williams

David DeGrio

Richard Mammen

Chanda Baker

Marika Pfefferkorn

Shirlynn LaChapelle

Mohamud Noor

Turning around failing schools - a recipe that works

Turning around failing schools is not rocket science, John Simmons told an overflow crowd in the basement of University Lutheran Church of Hope on April 16. Nor, he said, is it necessary to fire principals and teachers to turn around schools. He believes - and his organization's record shows - that it's possible to turn around school performance by empowering the teachers and principals, and the students and parents, who are already there. 

Read the rest of the recap of our April 16 Achievement Gap meeting at TC Daily Planet...